


Whaddyah know. Emily Dickinson was right.

by JQ (musicmillennia)



Series: Emanon [1]
Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Agender Character, Fantasy, Fluff, Gen, I am such a hopeless fantasy walnut, M/M, Phoenixes, Soul Bond, Time Skips
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-10
Updated: 2016-02-10
Packaged: 2018-05-19 11:45:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5966206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/musicmillennia/pseuds/JQ
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The first time Leonard Snart saw his hope, it was a tiny feathered thing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Whaddyah know. Emily Dickinson was right.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [languageismymistress](https://archiveofourown.org/users/languageismymistress/gifts).



> I'm writing a book on creatures and riders. So I decided, my Scarlet deserves some fluff. With a creature and rider.
> 
> Because reasons.

Leo's eight, and a strange man's telling him something very important.

"Don't ever let anyone hurt you. Not here," Stranger touches his temple, "and especially..." two fingers press gently against Leo's heart. "Not here.

"No matter what, you always have to look out for yourself, okay? Understand?"

"I think so," says Leo. (He doesn't.)

Then the Stranger gets a weird look on his face, the kind Mommy gets when she's just remembered something important. But this man doesn't snap his fingers, nor does he bound to the next room with a triumphant "aha!". Instead, a tiny, tiny smile peeks through his sad eyes (that's how Leo knew he was a friend of Daddy's; Daddy's friends have those eyes).

"One more thing, Leo," he whispers, "I...hid something very special in the backyard for you. I think it's gonna rain tonight, but when that clears up, you can get it."

Excitement bubbles in Leo's chest. "What is it?"

The Stranger lets out a quiet laugh. "It's a surprise."

Suddenly, Daddy has a gun to his head.

"...why don't you go up to bed? Go on."

* * *

It does rain, like Stranger said it would. Leo thinks he's gotta be psychic; whatever's in the backyard for him must be real special.

Easy enough to sneak out. Daddy's working in the basement, and Mommy's fast asleep. He takes a flashlight, 'cause it's dark, and starts looking.

Four minutes, thirty-five seconds in, and Leo gasps, big smile splitting his face. Because there, in the midst of singed bushes, is a smoking egg. It's a small round thing that's shaped like a lava rock just spit out of a volcano, layered with blues, purples, and dark crimson shades. Anywhere in the world this egg could've chosen to land, and Stranger somehow convinced it to land for Leo.

Amazed, Leo drops his flashlight and runs to it, arms outstretched. He stumbles through the bushes, little grunts leaving him as he stretches as far as he can go. Finally, his wiggling fingers meet smoldering egg.

It's not hot. It's freezing cold.

* * *

Len's fifteen, angry, confused, and suicidal. He can't leave the world yet, because his baby sister still needs him, which leaves angry and confused.

His egg's still not hatched, and he's starting to look like the stranger from that night.

Sometimes, when his dad's beaten him enough that he can't think straight, Len thinks,  _I wonder if you'll hatch if I break you first_.

The thought scares him so bad he apologizes out loud. Promises that, no matter what, he won't be like his dad. (Well...not like that, anyway. Kinda too late for the rest.)

Lisa coos at her brother's egg sometimes, asking the creature inside to come out already. She was born with a mark on her shoulder, so at least she can still smile about her future. As for Len, he doesn't even know if this egg's actually his, just calls it that outta force of habit.

Maybe it was meant for his mom. Now that she's dead, that egg doesn't have a reason to hatch anymore.

* * *

Well fuck him sideways. Emily Dickinson was right.

The first time Leonard Snart sees hope, it's a thing with feathers.

He's seventeen and about to leave his dad's house. Lisa hasn't said anything, even though they both know she's well aware of what's happening. Len can only wish she'll forgive him, despite just  _knowing_ that she never will.

Everything's packed, except for his...for the egg. His hand hovers over it for forty-three seconds before dropping.

At long last, he says the words that've been lodged in his throat for the past six years. "You weren't waiting for me."

He sighs, picks up his bag. No use crying over it. Shouldn't even be surprised. He's no good.  _A disappointment. Who'd want you for a rider, boy? You're a pathetic, useless little bastard!_

Len pulls on his worn sneakers and heads for the door.

_Criiiick._

He stops cold.

_Crick...crick-crack..._

Trill.

Len whips around, and oh,  _oh_ , xe's blue.

The duffle drops to the floor, just like little Leo's flashlight a lifetime ago. Len rushes to xem, hand already outstretched.

Xe pokes xir head out to meet his palm, and his skin ignites with cold, glowing blue. The magic spikes up his arm, convalescing on the inside of his forearm in a mark.

Len feels xe at his right temple, a cool wave blanketing the area like a splash of water. Xe sings to him, soft and innocent, a song for traveling.

Xe's ready to come with him.

Shaking, Len cups xir tiny body in his palms, careful not to jostle xem as he raises xem from xir eggshells. A blue phoenix, extraordinarily rare in this world, and extraordinarily powerful. And of all the good people in this world, xe's chosen Leonard Snart.

He cradles xir against his chest, blinking back tears because he  _has_ to see xem, there's no time for that. Xe nuzzles his shirt, all awkward limbs and so, so small.

Fuck, he hopes he doesn't drop xem.

They hum at each other for fifteen seconds, amazement, love, and hope, so much hope, swirling between them. Len sniffs, kisses xir head.

"What took you so long?"

* * *

Xe grows strong and magnificent, and Len has no idea what to name xem.

Then, at twenty-one, he meets a flicking lighter and a burnt orange phoenix with a song that sounds like smoke.

"Yeah," grunts Mick Rory, "I've got no name for 'em either."

* * *

Funny enough, it's their phoenixes who mate first.

Len's phoenix happens to have a receptive organ while Mick's happens to have a giving. Although much larger, the orange phoenix, with their chaotic feathers sticking up every which way and burn marks taking up half their face and body, wraps their partner in their great wings and mates with xem like xe's the most precious thing they'll ever touch.

Every moment, their bonds sing in their riders, until Len's lifted against the wall and experiences the best fuck of his life.

Funny enough, not much changes.

* * *

Mick and Len separate; their phoenixes refuse.

They visit each other often, and Len pretends he doesn't know. Mick probably does the same, because it keeps happening.

Xe rejoices when the Flash comes along, and xir rider harnesses the power of Cold. Because Len finally recognizes he needs Mick to come back.

"Still don't have a name for 'em yet?"

Mick scratches their molting feathers. "Nope."

Knowing he's been given one chance, Len makes sure he doesn't waste it. He gives his little speech, throwing every ounce of persuasion he's got into his voice, his actions. All the while, xe perches on a cheap loveseat, silent support.

Surprisingly, there's no hesitation. "Yeah, buddy. I'm in."

* * *

Two years, five months, and one week later, xe crawls under Len's shirt as he's reading on the couch. Xe used to hide in his collar all the time, to the point where xir rider sewed a bunch of pouches in so xe could rest inside. Even now, when xe's too big, Len finds himself with a cold feathered body resting against his torso. On instinct, he spreads his legs wider so xe can stand more comfortably.

Xe pokes xir head out, pecking Len's nose. Shawna takes a picture, gushing over how cute they are, and even Hartley cracks a fond smile. It's instinct; when matter is whole, everything around it can't help but admire.

After xe retreats back to the shadows of Len's shirt, Cold raises an eyebrow at xem.

"What?" he asks.

A trill answers him on the beautiful tones of a song for flight; xir notes for Mick and xir partner take the crescendos and lifts. He narrows his eyes, hums for relaxation. But xe can feel the shared restlessness in his limbs after being cooped up in Iron Heights, responding in kind with deep, halting notes. He tilts his head, pretending to consider.

"A-ah," he sings in consent. Xe squawks xir excitement, nearly tearing his shirt. He hisses discontentment before any lasting damage is done.

"That's so weird," Mardon mutters once they're off to find Mick.

"I heard that!" Cold shouts from another room, giving Mardon a start.

Shawna smirks. "First lesson, Weather Man: our illustrious Captain's got Mom Hearing."

Xe shrieks in laughter.

"And so does his phoenix."

* * *

Time travel. The possibilities are endless. Xe might be able to transcend universes, but not even xe can turn back the clock.

Len doesn't hesitate to convince Mick and them to come with.

"You want us in, we're in," like it's that simple, like all Len has to do is ask.

* * *

Oh...this is...

Len almost can't believe it.

"One more thing, Leo," he whispers, "I...hid something very special in the backyard for you. I think it's gonna rain tonight, but when that clears up, you can get it."

Excitement lights Leo's face. "What is it?"

Len can't help but laugh. "It's a surprise."

_The best damn surprise of your life._

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


End file.
